From farm to table: Wonder Kitchen cuts waste, builds community

The Xiang family always wanted to live on a farm and raise their children in a healthy environment. Six years ago, they achieved that dream by starting Wonder Garden, an organic farm based out of their home in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.

But farm sales alone weren’t enough to sustain them. To support their family, Mei Xiang and her husband decided to launch Wonder Kitchen — a farm-to-table restaurant in South Bethlehem that uses produce from Wonder Garden.

“We want to have a farming life,” Xiang said. “Since we have two kids, we really worry about the food.”

Wonder Kitchen opened on Nov. 10, 2022, sourcing ingredients directly from the family’s farm. While Xiang runs the restaurant, her husband manages the farm and together they balance both businesses.

Xiang said her family sells produce and homemade products from an honor-system stand at Wonder Garden. She also said there are no formal employees at the farm — only Xiang, her husband and their children.

“Sometimes friends help, but it’s pretty much just my husband and me,” Xiang said. “My son helps a little too.”

With their business being entirely family-run, Xiang and her husband manage long days filled with work.

“We start the day at 6 in the morning and end at 7 or 8 p.m.,” Xiang said. “This is farming. I have a long list to do. I’ve never finished, but I just keep moving.”

The restaurant operates with a small staff that pitches in whenever needed. Sous chef Ryah Carpenter, who joined Wonder Kitchen this March, said she often takes up responsibilities outside of her job description.

“We’re kind of like a little family here, so we help out with whatever needs helping out with,” Carpenter said.

Longtime employee Leni Rufe said staff members all share responsibilities since there’s always something that needs to be done.

“We are always busy because the products come from the farm, so everyone helps prepare the food,” Rufe said. “Everybody will help prepare things, like peeling the garlic or preparing the chili and cutting tomatoes.”

Xiang said opening Wonder Kitchen has helped reduce waste from Wonder Garden. Produce that doesn’t sell on the farm is used in the restaurant or made into other products sold at the register of Wonder Kitchen.

“We don’t have to waste all the veggies from here,” Xiang said. “If you cannot sell it, it goes to the restaurant. We make so many products — it’s interesting and very creative.”

Carpenter said the setup encourages experimentation in the kitchen. She said staff often test out new dishes and adjust the menu, which changes with the seasons.

“It’s just really cool to try all these new things, and our menu keeps growing too,” Carpenter said. “We keep throwing out ideas, and as a staff, we get to try and test things.”

Xiang said eating seasonally is a core part of Wonder Kitchen’s initiative.

“I​​’d like to think that it brings more awareness to seasonal vegetables,” Carpenter said. “We provide the food cooked for you so that you don’t have to go to a farm and figure out what to do with it.”

Over time, Xiang has built strong relationships with customers who share her focus on health. She said many loyal customers appreciate knowing where their food is coming from.

“I do have regulars come to the garden and come to my restaurant,” Xiang said. “I think they trust me to make sure the ingredients are fresh and healthy.”

For Xiang, the mission is personal. She and her husband started Wonder Garden to give their children healthy food, — and now she’s extending that vision to the community.

“We had the passion to start it, and we want to keep doing this,” Xiang said. “Let’s see how much we can do.”